War veterans receive long-deserved notice

Tuesday

Mar 25, 2014 at 12:01 AM

President Barack Obama took time out last week to present the Medal of Honor to 24 individuals who had previously been bypassed because they were Hispanic, Jewish or Black. The recognition was, of course, overdue and the result of congressional mandate that a review be conducted to assure that deserving servicemen had not been denied honor because of prejudice.

Lori Gilbert

President Barack Obama took time out last week to present the Medal of Honor to 24 individuals who had previously been bypassed because they were Hispanic, Jewish or Black. The recognition was, of course, overdue and the result of congressional mandate that a review be conducted to assure that deserving servicemen had not been denied honor because of prejudice.

Some wrongs were righted, and the Medal of Honor ceremony in the White House was held for men who "distinguished themselves conspicuously by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty."

Only three men attended the event. Seven of the men who received the recognition posthumously fought in World War II.

Private Pedro Cano's actions came at Schevenhutte, Germany on Dec. 3, 1944. Pft. Joe Gandara was honored for action in Amfreville, France, three days after D Day. Pfc. Salvador J. Lara's actions in Aprilia, Italy on May 27 and 28, 1944 were recognized, and Sgt. William F. Leonard was honored for action near St. Die, France on Nov. 7, 1944.

That this nation needed a congressional order to honor non-white Christian soldiers is no surprise. It's just another sad statement about our collective attitudes.

The absence of the World War II veterans at the ceremony is another reminder that we're losing those valued souls who saved us from the true Axis of Evil.

Nearly 16 million veterans returned home after defeating Germany and Japan in 1945. Today there are just more than 1 million alive, and according to the National World War II Museum, we're losing them at a rate of 550 a day.

Our community recently lost two of them, George Shingu and John Bacon.

Shingu, 86, grew up in French Camp and was interred with other Japanese Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He graduated from high school at the Butte camp in Arizona, 40 miles southeast of Phoenix, then joined the army and served as a medic, according to his son, Dennis Shingu.

After the war, George Shingu returned home and worked for the U.S. Department of Defense for 40 years.

Bacon, who was profiled in The Record by Kevin Parrish on Pearl Harbor Day 2013, reached his 90th birthday on Feb. 12.

He was on duty at Oahu's Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station when the first wave of Japanese fighters and bombers approached on Dec. 7, 1941, and he may have been the first American to fire a shot at the enemy. He received a citation for being the first in his squadron to shoot at the enemy.

Bacon remained in the navy as a mechanic throughout the war, and moved to Stockton in 1947.

In December he told Parrish one of his dreams was to someday visit the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

He never made it.

As sad as it is that brave soldiers are recognized for valor years after the fact, or after they've passed away, it's pathetic that it took until April 29, 2004, to open that national tribute to World War II vets. Too many of the men it recognizes were already gone by then. Others like Bacon, would have liked to visit but never had the opportunity.

My Dad, who was a Lt. JG on the Okaloosa, a troop carrier, fought at Okinawa. He was in the early stages of Alzheimer's when the memorial opened. He never saw it, either.

It breaks my heart that it took so long for this country to get its act together and make that monument a reality.

It came nine years after the Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated in 1995 and more than 20 years after the Vietnam wall was installed. The Korean War was fought from 1950-1953, Vietnam from 1959-1975.

That's not to disparage veterans of those wars. They all should be honored.

The Vietnam wall helped heal some scars from that dreadful conflict and the Korean memorial helped erase the "forgotten war" label.

One local Korean War veteran, John Lira, Jr., is helping to raise funds for the Korean War Memorial Foundation in San Francisco. Planned for a spot on high ground at the Presidio where it will face the Pacific Ocean, the memorial's cost is projected a t $2.7 million. The Korean government has pledged to match the first $1 million raised here.

Anyone wanting to donate to the memorial fund can call Lira (209) 649-2872 or visit kwmf.org. It's another tribute to our veterans that shouldn't be put off any longer.

Contact columnist Lori Gilbert at (209) 546-8284 or lgilbert@recordnet.com. Follow her on Twitter at lorigrecord.